Dry battery-cell



H. IVI, OHETZKY,

URY BAUERY CELL Amm/mofa m50 SEPT. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. l

lorries.

. F NET?? "SZRIK, N. Y.

DRY BTTERY-CELL.

Application filed September vention is not limited to such applications.

One of the prineignil'objects oi this invertv tion is the provision of a method of manu- Yfacture whereby a eonsiflerable saving of labor is achim-el, while at the saine time uniform. efficient and reliable Celis are proand inexpensive moans.

lt is important that the sjaein device should extend. substantially the entire length of the Core, and should titled sin y tween the core and the outer cup, in order to exert i gripping; pressure ou the core in place of the binding" hitherto used around it. ill his pressure preserves the forno ol' thee-ore under the acci lents of use and prevents rise nl' electrical resistaneedue to the particles constituting.y the core coming loose.

My invention is capable oi2 being' embodied in a great variety of modifications, certain preferred examples of 'which are illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, Wherem Figure i is a vertical sectional View of an empty Cell cup with the spacing devine 1n place. Fig. S2 is a top pian viewrof the same.

Fig. il is a side elevation of the Central elec y frode With its attached iglepolarizing mixture, Fig. t is a vertiefl sectional View 'of a oompleted cell, 5 is a side elevation showino the'spacing 'device applied to the depoiariing core, lli/g. o shows a develoinnent of the spacing device shown in itsi'iorinal position in Fij Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified 'lorin7 and Fig. il is a plan View of the spacing' device as used in the forni shown in Fig.

This invention relates to an innnroveiuunt in that type ot battery cell wherein one oi" the electrodes pr poles surrounds the other. the latter being centrally placed and being fuirrinmded by the electrolyte and the .depolarizingf agi-ent. l shall describe tinx invention as applied to a Very einninon example oi this type Whereii'i a central carbon elcctrmle placed with the electrolyte and Specification et Letters Estant.

Patented Nov.. il., 192i. 1a, 191e. serial no. 324,557.

the depolarizer Within a zine en p which eonstitutes the outer electrode.l Cells of this kind arepractically of universal use in conneetion with portable electric lamps known 'as dash lights. l

In manufacturing cells of this kind it has been eustomaryto mold the depolarizing agent or mixture around the carbon electrode. binding the sarnein place by means of textile material tied around it. This en- 1velop holds the mixture in place and absorbssome olf the electrolyte which surrounds the f 'ore thus produced.

The carbon electrode. thus combined with the `depolarif/,er' is placed centrally Within the zinc cup. and is Combined with a moist elecf troiytic substance in a variety of' Ways". My invention makes it possible to dispense with the skilled handl labor necessary for producing the bound up or Covered form of core above alluded to.

In carin/ing yout my improved process of manufacture l apply the depolarizing {nix- 'ture l0 in a pasty iE rm to the el-otrode l1, imparting a cylindrical form to the body l() ot the mixture, in 'a Inold or otherwise. The compound core thus formed is then hardened by thorough drying. and forins an integral .member which can be Vfreely handled in the course of 'further steps in the process of manufacture.

'll his (fore is then inserted into the outer zinc cup l2, together with aspacinp; device, which holds-the core in a central position while leaving a sufficient space around it to areonnnodate the electrolyte. The spacing device may taken variety of forms and may be made ot' 'various materials. although an absorbent material such as blotting paper or thick Cloth is. preferred. This spacing device may be applied primarily either to the core or to the inside of the outer cup,l as shown in the drawings.

,ln Fig'. l ,is shown au empty zinc cup 1Q,

yprovided with the usual bottoni washer llI-.

and Fwith the sparingv device shown in place ready 'for insertion of the coreld, 1l. ln this particular l'orrn, the spacing` device comprises vtwo flexible absorbent strips, 14 and l5 folded as shown lin Figs. 1 and 2. so as to cross on the bottom ot the cup, and to be close vagainst the intr-)rior ot' the upright' cylindrical Wall ot' theeup on four sides. The number of strips is, otl course, not essential.

2 y renacer y, The ycup having been thus prepared,v thel core 10, 11, is inserted, as shown in Fig. 4.

' As there made clear, I Aprefer to have the strips 14, 15 extend acertain distance above the top of the molded body 10 for the purpose of providing a space 16 for the accommodation .of generated gasesl If desired this space may be more-or less illed with powdered charcoal or other gas-absorbing material, in which case a protective washer `should be used to prevent this powder from finding its way into the lowerpart of the cell. v

The corehaving beenthus inserted, the usual electrolytic solution is poured into the "cup until the space around the body 10 is filled withsuch solution.

solution should not be higher than the top" vof the body 10.

The level of the The nent step inthe process of manufacture is to heat the cell in a water bath, in

`a well known manner, until the electrolytic l `solution takes on a gelatinous or seninsohd condition. l prefer touse in this connection any suitably proportioned solution of zinc 'chlorid and sal ammoniac, with bichlorid of mercury. y

TWhen the electrolyte has been thus solidiiiied, it thoroughly fills every space around the core 10, l1. and assists the spacing device in keeping the'core in a central position.

The vnent step is to insert a tight washer 17, pressing it down until it rests upon the tops of the upturned strips 14, 15 and inclosing the gas accommodating space l, after which the usual sealing material 18 is poured in, and the cell is ready for use.

lf desired, the spacing device may be applied to the body l0 before it is inserted into the cup 12. instead of applying such device to the empty cup itself. This may be done in a variety of ways. For instance, a flexible and absorbent sheet 19, preferably of blotting paper may be cutrwith slots to give it a comb like foruuas shown in Fig. 6,

and this sheet may then be wrapped around the body 10, as shown in Fig, 5, the extensions 20 rising a little above'the body to help adjust the washer 17 when the latter is inserted, as already described with respect to Fig. 3.

In Fig. 7 is shown a` form wherein the spacing device, instead of being wrapped down so as to extend along the cylindrical surface of said body, as shown in F ig. 7.

When the form last describedl is used, the

washer 17 may be forced all the way down upon the central flat varea 21,` in which case the space for accommodation of gases would llie between. the divergent arms 23 over'g'the body 10. prefer, however, to provide a more extensive space .than this construction i, wculd aiford, and for this purpose I provide a spacing 'washer 24e around the electrode 1l. The washer 17 canthenbe forceddown until it is stopped by the washer 24, after which the sealing material 18 ispoured into place.

Many changes may be ronde in the device described without departing fromthe scope of my invention, and I do not limit myself to the method-of manufacture or to the details of construction herein shown and described.

What l claim is j t l. A battery .oeil comprising an external cupsbaped electrodea core composed of a central electrode surrounded by a self-supporting bare body of depolarizing material molded thereon, a separate spacing deyice Y i extending substantially the entire lengthv of said core, lying fiat against said core/and compressed between the outer electrode and the core at intervals around thesame sdas to hold the core together during use, and, an

electrolyte `in the unoccupied spaces ardund the core.

2. A battery cell of the general clnlrii'cterY set forth in claim'l hereof wherein a closing washer is fitted within the external cupv and is held a short distance above the top of the electrolytic material by contact with the spacing device. 4

3. A battery cell of the general character set forth in claim 2here0f wherein spacing strips are provided at the sides extending above the top of the electrolyte and making Contact with the under surface of the closing washer.

el. ln a battery cell of the general character described, a central electrode, a bare depolarizng mixture molded against the same and a spacing means comprising crossed strlps folded over one endofthe depolarizing body and extending along lthe outer surface for substantially 'the entire length of said body. f

5. ln a battery cell, a central electrode in combination with a self-supporting bare body of depolarizing material applied to the` same by molding under pressure.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand on this 13th day of Septenliber,

y HARRY M. KORETZKY. I A i i 

